Frostbite
by applestrudel
Summary: Whereby James and Lily spend a winters morning in freezingcold Hogsmeade. LJ, 7th year


Well, this is my first story! It's just a fluffy one-shot. I'm sorry that there's not much of a plot, but go ahead and read it since you're here!

Disclaimer: Not mine! Not even the blood toffees.

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**Frostbite**

The cold wind blew through her hair as she made her way briskly down the old cobblestone street, her shoes crunching against the soft snow. Resolutely keeping her head bent, she pulled her cloak around her even more tightly, trying to shut the wind out.

The chimes tinkled merrily as she swung the door of The Three Broomsticks open, stepping into the welcoming warmth of the small bar with a sigh of relief.

"Lily! Oh, it's good to see you!" The young barlady smiled at her only customer. "What brings you here this blasted morning?"

The young lady turned at the sound of her name and smiled genially. "Well, I must agree that it's blasted," she laughed. "The thing is, I didn't know it until I stepped out myself." They both laughed at this as Lily, pink-cheeked from the cold, settled herself down at one of the small round tables in the bar and pulled off her hat, laying it in front of her.

"So, anything to drink?"

Lily nodded. "One butterbeer, please."

"One butterbeer coming up!" Smiling, the barlady turned and busied herself with the drinks.

Lily sighed and looked out of the window. It was snowing heavily and absolutely freezing out there, the wind blowing through the little town with all its might. She had really planned to have a great time in Hogsmeade today, what with only her, James, and a couple of third years left at Hogwarts for the Christmas break – everyone else was either skiing on the Alps, or tanning in the tropics, or something. She scowled at the thought of her best friend, Alice, probably enjoying herself too much in France to remember her little old friend stuck at Hogwarts.

Not that it was _that _bad – at least she still had James around to cook up some fun around here. And she _had_ tried to drag him along with her today, too, but he had adamantly refused to wake up at "such a bloody early hour" to accompany her to Hogsmeade.

But now it looked as if she would be cooped up here all day, with only Rosmerta and a couple of butterbeers to keep her company. Damn the wind and the frost! Why on earth had it seemed so inviting in the early morning? Maybe James _was_ right, after all, maybe the early morning _did_ addle one's senses.

She absentmindedly peeled off her gloves and scarf and settled them on the table with her woollen hat. Even with all these on, the cold still got to her. She was going to catch a chill if she went back out there, she thought miserably. Or frostbite.

Rosmerta laid the cup of butterbeer on the table with a loud 'clunk', shaking her out of her reverie. "Thanks," she smiled.

"So it's only you left, is it?" asked Rosmerta, settling herself beside Lily comfortably. "Petunia's chased you out again?"

"No. Well, yes, she chased me out, but no, I'm not the only one left," she replied, taking a slow sip of butterbeer. After all, she had all the time in the world. "James is around too. And some third years."

"James Potter?" Rosmerta smiled. "And why isn't he here with you?"

Lily shrugged and rolled her eyes. "He didn't want to wake up."

Rosmerta threw back her head and laughed. "Typical," she said after a moment, still chuckling slightly.

Lily smiled grudgingly and looked away.

The chimes sounded a second time that morning, and both young women turned. A dark-haired young man, dressed in a thick cloak and scarf walked in, scowling as his scarf caught in the doorway.

"James! Speak of the devil!" Rosmerta beamed.

Lily, however, narrowed her eyes at him. "So, you decided to get up after all, I see?"

The young man looked up after untangling his scarf. "Hey!" He held his hands up in defense. "It was bloody seven in the morning! What were you thinking, Lily?"

She folded her arms across her chest. "I was thinking of enjoying the morning breeze, if you don't mind."

"Morning breeze?" He snorted. "More like morning _freeze_," he said, eyeing the frost forming on the window, one eyebrow arched sceptically.

She coloured ever so slightly. "How was I to know it was so cold? It looked just like any other winters day!" Her tone was defensive, her stance defiant.

He shrugged in response. "Well, I'm here now. What do you want to do?"

She sniffed slightly. "Oh, I don't know, it's up to _your royal highness_ to decide," she said, eyeing him derisively.

Rosmerta smiled to herself as she got up and busied herself at the counter. This young couple had something going, even if they didn't know it.

James grinned. "Oh, you're sure I can decide?"

Lily looked up at him suspiciously. "As long as it doesn't involve getting o–"

"I say we go _out_," James cut her off decidedly, his grin growing wider.

"NO, Potter, I said we're not going –"

"You didn't say anything! Actually, you did – you said I got to choose!" James laughed, pulling her up from her seat. "Come on, a bit of cold never killed anyone!"

"That's what you think," she said darkly, getting up reluctantly as he pulled on her arm. "Bye, Rosmerta!" she called, "I'll see you again if this idiot here doesn't get me killed first!" Rosmerta turned and waved.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming, already," Lily grumbled, pulling out a few coins and leaving them on the counter. "And stop pulling me!" She grabbed her hat, scarf and gloves before making her way out of the door after James.

Standing once more in the street, she shivered. "Now whose great idea was this?" she asked, looking at him accusingly.

"Aw, come on, Lils, like I said – " He looked down at her. "Oh, fine. Here – you can have my cloak," he said, taking it off and draping it around her shoulders.

She looked up in surprise, all grudges gone. "Oh, no, you need it too," she protested, trying to return it, but he shook his head in reply. "Don't worry about me, Lily. I'm fine."

She stopped and smiled at the boy walking ahead of her, her green eyes shining. He really was a gentlemen when he wanted to be, a really sweet guy if you got to know him. She remembered the time, two years ago, when she had really hated him for his huge ego and arrogance, when he had seemed like the most annoying prat that ever lived, bullying students younger than himself. Not to mention that he had asked her out at least three times a day…

But this year, he had, well, 'deflated' his head, to put it simply. Which was a good thing, she mused, what with him having been made the head boy, along with her, head girl. And he didn't ask her out anymore, she realised. "How ironic," she thought sardonically, "I started to get to know the better side of him only when he stopped asking me out." And she really had, for he was now one of her closest friends, even with his continual pranking. Except now, it didn't seem so mean, just…humorous. Or extremely funny.

"Lily?" He turned, noticing that she had fallen behind.

She hurried to catch up, fitting her hat, scarf and gloves back on. They continued walking down the street slowly in silence, until Lily spoke up. "Just where _are_ we going, James?"

He shrugged non-commitedly. "Honeydukes!" he exclaimed, as they rounded the corner. So saying, he proceeded to drag her into the shop.

The shop, usually crowded with students on Hogsmeade weekends, was empty except for the two of them now, on this cold morning. The air was sweet, a mixture of the many flavours sold in the sweet shop. "Cockroach cluster?" James picked up a jar of sweets from the "Unusual Tastes" corner and thrust it at Lily.

"Ugh, no, I don't think so," she replied, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Picking up a jar of red, sickly-sweet smelling toffees, she held it up at eye level and peered at it. "What's this?"

"Blood-flavoured toffees, miss," came the reply from the round-faced shop owner. "It's not really blood, you know," he continued encouragingly. Lily and James looked at each other and burst out laughing. "No thanks," she replied, trying to keep a straight face.

As they left the shop, they turned and caught each other's eye, causing them to burst out laughing again. "That was crazy," Lily declared. "Who eats _blood_ toffees?"

"Vampires?" James suggested. Lily laughed again, and he smiled.

The road got narrower until it reached a patch of open grass. Except that it wasn't grass anymore in this weather – it was now covered with snow.

Bending down surreptitiously in the pretence of tying her laces, Lily gathered some snow in her hand. Straightening up, she called out, "James!" And as he turned, she threw the snowball straight at him.

Being the best chaser on the Gryffindor quidditch team, he ducked. But oh, was she in trouble now. "Oh, Lily…watch out!" he called out gleefully, a mischievous glint in his eye, bending to pick up as much snow as possible. She squealed and ran from him as he pelted her with snow, her red hair flying out behind her as her hat fell to the ground. She shrieked as she fell into the snow, scrambling to get away him.

"Oh no you don't." He had caught up with her, emptying his hands of snow over her. She put her arms over her head, trying to shield herself from the snow – unsuccessfully.

Done, he collapsed on the snow next to her, laughing. They stayed there in the snow for a while, just talking, before he got up.

"I'm hungry," he proclaimed. "Let's go back."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Please?" He asked, holding his hand out to her. And as she looked up at the hand proffered to her, she smiled.

It didn't seem so cold anymore.

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There! Was that alright? 

Please review! I would like to improve my writing! Thanks to all you lovely readers:)


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